Sale 1090 — United States, Possessions and Confederate States Stamps and Postal History
Sale Date — Wednesday-Friday, 17-19 December, 2014
Category — Telegraph Covers
Lot
Symbol
Photo/Description
Cat./Est. Value
Realized
1836
Alta Telegraph Company. Office, 153 Montgomery Street. Printed envelope in red for San Francisco office at "Corner Merchant," with Zeus holding a lightning bolt over the city design, "Wade P.R." imprint, addressed locally, couple small flaws at top right not affecting any printing, Very Fine, a wonderful design, the Alta Telegraph office at 153 Montgomery St. was the location for the first Pony Express office in San Francisco, it is now in the 600 block
E. 400-500
750
1837
Atlantic and Ohio Telegraph Philadelphia. Negative octagonal framed handstamp boldly struck on ca. 1847 brown cover to local address with matching "Paid" straightline and letter "Z" handstamp, enclosure dated Nov. 25 with embossed design of State Capitol building Harrisburg, headed "Magnetic Telegraph Office", cover with slight toning as with the other example located in Power Search (ex Hahn), still Very Fine and scarce, ex Gibson, 1993 ASCC Rarity 8
E. 300-400
450
Back to Top1838
California State Telegraph. Orange-buff cover with black illustrated design, no postal markings, 1865 enclosure a transcription of telegram from Canyonville Oregon on company notice, Very Fine
E. 150-200
200
Back to Top1839
California State Telegraph. Illustrated design on orange-buff cover to Diamond Springs Cal., 3c Rose (65), tied by bold cork cancel, "Sacramento Cal. Oct. 5, 1863?" circular datestamp, slightly reduced at right, Very Fine, the California State Telegraph envelopes are very scarce sent through the mails
E. 200-300
275
Back to Top1840
California State Telegraph. Orange-buff cover addressed to Auburn Cal. with red illustrated design, pencil "July 8th 1864" docketing, no postal markings, enclosure an original telegram tape message from New York, relating to purchase of ships, cover with small tear at top, Very Fine and scarce
E. 200-300
375
Back to Top1841
California State Telegraph. Orange-buff cover with red illustrated design, no postal markings, 1865 enclosure a transcription of telegram from Portland Oregon on company notice, Very Fine
E. 150-200
325
Back to Top1842
California State Telegraph. Yellow cover addressed to "Mr. Wallace Private Secy"with red illustrated design, no postal markings, enclosure an original telegram tape message from San Francisco, relating to a request to forward commissions, Very Fine and scarce
E. 200-300
425
Back to Top1843
California State Telegraph. Orange-buff cover addressed to "John W. Porter" with red illustrated design, no postal markings, 1864 enclosure a transcription of telegram on company notice, some nicks on edges of notice, Very Fine
E. 150-200
250
Back to Top1844
House's Printing Telegraph, No. 8 Wall Street. 1850 cover to Stamford Ct. with Zeus on globe holding flag and lighting bolt design, red "New-York 5cts. 6 Jul." integral-rate circular datestamp with matching "Paid" in arc, Very Fine, desirable use of this telegraph cover through the mails
E. 100-150
350
Back to Top1845
The Magnetic Telegraph Company (Morse Line). Three covers with ornate lithographed designs depicting S.F.B. Morse with railway, telegraph wires and steamboat, each from a different office (New York and Philadelphia), Very Fine, attractive group of this popular design
E. 300-400
375
Back to Top1846
Morse's American Telegraph, N. York, & Western Line. Imprint on buff cover to New York City, 3c Dull Red, Ty. II (11A), light pre-use creases, tied by "Minneapolis M.T. Jun. 16" territorial circular datestamp, slight soiling, Fine and attractive telegraph cover used from Minnesota Territory, which existed only from 1849 to 1858
E. 300-400
425
Back to Top1847
Morse's Southern Telegraph Line, Direct Between New Orleans and New York. Brown printed cover with list of destinations and charges for telegrams from New Orleans, addressed locally with red "New Orleans La. Jan. 10" circular datestamp, matching "Drop 1" handstamp, apparently went unclaimed so struck with "Adv. 1." boxed handstamp, some edgewear and slight acidification, otherwise Very Fine and nice combination of cover and markings
E. 300-400
450
Back to Top1848
O'Reilly's New-York State Line. Office, Albany N.Y. Illustrated cover with vignettes of Benjamin Franklin, flying-kite electricity conduction experiment and harbor scene, addressed locally, Very Fine and scarce design, a similar design exists with Bain's Chemical Telegraph name above O'Reilly's
E. 200-300
275
Back to Top1849
Philadelphia, Reading & Pottsville Telegraph. Ornately printed cover addressed to Sunbury Pa., red "Philadelphia Pa. 3cts. Paid Dec. 13" integral-rate circular datestamp, 1854 docketing, Very Fine, a choice example of this design and desirable sent through the mails, ex Gibson
E. 200-300
400
Back to Top1850
Stebbins Line. Orange-buff cover to Bolivar Mo. with "TELEGRAM BY THE STEBBINS LINE." imprint at top, 3c Dull Red, Ty. III (26), deep rich color, tied by "Saint Louis Mo. Dec. 31, 1859" circular datestamp, fresh and Very Fine, a lovely cover, this telegraph company (the Missouri & Western Telegraph Co.) with its line over the Central Route was closely linked to the Pony Express, one of the most famous Pony Express covers -- free franked by William H. Russell and addressed to Ben Holladay -- is on the same Stebbins Line envelope
E. 500-750
950
Back to Top1851
United States and Mexico Telegraph Company. Imprint on orange-buff cover addressed to Denver, no postal markings, fresh and Very Fine, a rare design which is unlisted in the 1993 ASCC, according to The Telegraph Age (Vol. 24, 1906), B. F. Woodward of Denver organized the United States and Mexico Telegraph Company and built the line from Denver to Santa Fe, although it was projected to extend to Mexico City the line was sold to Western Union before completion
E. 400-500
850
Back to Top1852
Vermont & Boston Telegraph Line. Oval illustrated corner card cover depicting "slower" modes of communication (including a turtle), being overtaken by an electric bolt emanating from a disembodied hand writing with a quill, addressed to "River House", blue enclosure with list of stations and prices and with "J. C. Rowe, Operator", dated June 6, 1850, cover with some slight staining, still Very Fine example of this beautiful and highly symbolic design, ex Foote, 1993 ASCC Rarity 7
E. 300-400
325
Back to Top1853
Vermont & Boston Telegraph Line. Oval illustrated buff corner card cover depicting "slower" modes of communication (including a turtle), being overtaken by an electric bolt emanating from a disembodied hand writing with a quill, with "No Charge," April 26, 1852 blue enclosure with list of stations and prices and telegram transcript from Brattleboro Vt., announcing a death, Very Fine example of this beautiful and highly symbolic design, ex Foote, 1993 ASCC Rarity 7
E. 300-400
325
Back to Top1854
Balance of Stampless Telegraph Cover Collection. Mounted on album pages, approximately 58 covers plus many notices, wide range of companies and designs incl. American, American Union, Atlantic & Ohio, Atlantic & Pacific, Atlantic & Great Western, Bakers & Merchants, Baltimore & Ohio, California State, Franklin, House's, Illinois & Mississippi, Independent Line, Morse's, New York & Erie Railroad, O'Reilly's, Philadelphia, Reading & Pottsville, Postal, Union, U.S. Military, Vermont & Boston, Western Union, many companies showing various designs, none sent through the mails, Fine-Very Fine and fascinating group
E. 1,500-2,000
2,000
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